Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Eightcap, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
IG vs Eightcap: IG was founded in 1974 and is publicly traded and a bank, while Eightcap, founded in 2009, is privately held and not a bank. Both serve global traders, but their corporate setups differ, which can matter for transparency and oversight.
On regulation, IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, whereas Eightcap holds 3 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2. ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 99/99 (highly trusted; 90–99), and Eightcap at 87/99 (trusted; 80–89). For context, 70–79 is average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 should not be trusted. Based on these ratings and licenses, IG has the stronger regulatory profile.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing IG vs Eightcap on commissions and fees, IG comes out ahead overall for active traders and those placing larger orders. IG’s pricing is not the cheapest in the market, but its Forex Direct DMA account can deliver competitive all-in costs, with July 2023 EUR/USD pricing averaging 0.62 pips before commission and about 0.82 pips after commission. Its CFD spreads were also slightly better than average during the main trading session, and qualified high-volume traders may be able to lower costs further through rebate programs.
Eightcap offers a simple choice between a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Raw account. On the Raw account, average spreads can be very tight at 0.06 pips, but once the $3.50 per-side commission is added, the all-in cost is around 0.76 pips. That makes Eightcap fairly competitive, though it is still a bit more expensive than the lowest-cost forex brokers overall. For commissions and fees, Eightcap is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranked #20 out of 36 brokers.
IG earns a perfect 5/5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #6 out of 36 brokers, which reflects its stronger value for active and volume-based traders. In short, Eightcap can be a good low-friction choice, but IG offers better pricing benefits for traders who want more ways to reduce trading costs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, IG offers a much wider choice than Eightcap. IG supports forex trading, stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges, and both actual cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs. It also lists far more tradeable markets overall, with 19,537 symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with Eightcap’s 803 symbols and 55 forex pairs. Eightcap does offer forex and cryptocurrency CFDs, but it does not provide access to exchange-traded shares or actual crypto.
These differences are reflected in the ratings as well. IG is rated 5 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com category, while Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. For traders who want more market variety, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IG and Eightcap both give traders plenty of ways to get started, including free demo accounts, web-based platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets you trade directly from a chart, which can make it easier to enter and manage trades while watching price movements. Neither broker offers copy trading, so traders looking for that feature will need to look elsewhere.
The biggest difference is that IG also offers its own in-house trading platform, while Eightcap does not. That extra platform choice, along with IG’s top 5-star rating and #1 ranking out of 36 brokers for trading platforms and tools, helps it stand out. Eightcap still covers the basics well, but with a 4-star rating and a #34 ranking in the same category, it appears to offer a more limited set of platform and tool options overall.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and Eightcap both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes useful everyday tools such as price alerts, watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. For traders who want a smooth mobile experience with the basics covered, both platforms make it easy to monitor markets and keep track of trades on the go.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall app quality. Eightcap offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 100 compared with IG’s 33, which may appeal to traders who rely on detailed chart analysis. However, IG comes out ahead in third-party ratings, earning 5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers, while Eightcap is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. In short, Eightcap has the edge for chart tools, but IG is the stronger pick overall for mobile trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IG has the edge over Eightcap. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, Acuity Trading research, and an economic calendar, so each gives traders useful day-to-day updates and ways to follow market events. However, IG goes further by adding forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and TipRanks research, while Eightcap does not offer those extras.
This wider mix of research helps explain why IG is rated 5 stars for Research and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Eightcap’s 3.5-star rating and #35 ranking. For traders who want more in-depth market insight and more research tools in one place, IG is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, IG comes out ahead of Eightcap in several important ways. IG offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos. That makes it a stronger choice for traders who want a wider mix of learning support, from first steps to more advanced topics. IG is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category.
Eightcap also gives beginners a helpful starting point, with at least 10 beginner trading videos available, but it falls behind IG overall. It does not offer monthly educational webinars, and it does not have 10 or more advanced education videos for experienced traders. Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #33 out of 36 brokers, so while it covers the basics, IG offers a much stronger learning experience for traders who want more guided education.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IG is better than Eightcap. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
IG vs Eightcap: IG supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies as well as trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Eightcap offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing delivered crypto.
IG vs Eightcap: both brokers support bank wire transfers and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, IG also offers ACH/SEPA but not Skrill, while Eightcap supports Skrill but not ACH/SEPA; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.91 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.82 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IG Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | IG | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | Eightcap Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
XM
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill
HFM Markets